UDM’s TENN recognized with awards, grants for its community work
University of Detroit Mercy’s Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) received several honors and a pair of grants this fall for its work in the community.
The organization, which fosters student and community collaboration for a more food-sovereign Detroit, was recognized with a Spirit of Detroit Award by Detroit City Councilmembers Coleman A. Young II and Angela Whitfield Calloway. Nearly a dozen members of TENN received their own plaque acknowledging the award, which highlights outstanding achievement or service to the residents of Detroit.
State Rep. Helena Scott also honored TENN with a special tribute for its work combating food insecurity and promoting equity and sustainability in the community.
“The students were so excited,” said TENN Program Manager Chelsea Manning. “They’re all so busy with taking more classes than I can imagine, and yet, they’re so dedicated to the organization.
“It’s just a really amazing validation that we are reaching our goals and our mission.”
A pair of grants will help TENN’s mission at UDM and in the community surrounding the McNichols Campus.
The Michigan Health Endowment Fund awarded a $180,000 grant to TENN, in collaboration with UDM’s College of Health Professions and the Martin Park and Fitzgerald Neighborhoods, to create a Wellness Council. A $5,000 grant from the Catholic Foundation of Michigan will also support the Wellness Council.
Manning said the Wellness Council will identify needs and develop projects that TENN, its partners and other groups at UDM can implement in the community. The grant from the Catholic Foundation of Michigan is focused on cultivating resident leaders and building the foundation for the Wellness Council through training and workshops.
Manning, who is in her third year as TENN’s program manager, said receiving the grants is a tremendous honor for the organization and its mission.
“These awards will enable us to expand programming while deepening TENN’s relationship-based model,” she said. “Through this support, we look forward to collaborating with the community to identify new opportunities for TENN and other campus partners to enhance health and wellness in the Martin Park and Fitzgerald/Marygrove neighborhoods.
“These grants also affirm the strength of TENN’s strategies and our commitment to community partnerships.”
The Wellness Council is expected to start by spring 2026, with the ultimate goal of sustainability.
“Our goal is to have a lot of capacity building for neighborhood leaders so that this work is sustainable if we can’t carry it on,” Manning said.
In addition to TENN’s awards and grants, Manning was recognized at the Detroit District Two Leadership Breakfast, hosted by Councilmember Whitfield Calloway. Manning was among nearly 20 people honored for their contributions to the well-being of the district’s community this year.
Organizations such as TENN allow UDM students to live the University’s Jesuit and Mercy mission through community engagement.
Last year, TENN delivered more than 24,000 pounds of food in the community, feeding 200 families.
“Chelsea and her team of 12 amazing student leaders are working with community leaders to provide transformational experiences for other students by helping them realize that they can make a difference in the areas of food security and sustainability,” said Fr. Tim Hipskind, S.J., director of Community Engaged Learning at UDM. “In doing so, they are providing experiences that counter the social fragmentation that plagues our world these days by equipping student and community members to work together across difference.”
Through her role, Manning has experienced firsthand how students are impacted by volunteering with TENN.
‘It’s really amazing to see the growth in the students,” Manning said.